


Closer than Friends

by LaraWrites



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Club Kid, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Spoilers, Workroom Sex, finale, sashea - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-11-22 14:46:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11382375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaraWrites/pseuds/LaraWrites
Summary: Sasha Velour entered the competition ready for anything- except maybe for a Chicago queen with a big attitude and an even bigger heart. Begins in the middle of the finale and flashes back to the competition.





	1. So Emotional

Sasha can’t breathe.

This is it. Fourteen queens, ten gone, three left and her. Sasha Velour- how did she even get here? She’s never lip synched before, but now she’s not sure whether that’s to her advantage or her detriment. By all means she has the element of surprise, but what about lack of practice? _Lack of practice?_ A voice in her head hisses. _You do this every week_. Every day, if you count the shower, she muses.

But she has allowed herself to be distracted by her thoughts; she snaps back to the task at hand as she plans her lip synch. She can faintly hear the bass line of _Stronger_ , leaving her with _So Emotional,_ which was the one she wanted anyway. She thinks of the movement in the song, deciding to remove the first glove on the first chorus for symmetry’s sake…

“Hey,” A voice interrupts her train of thought and she looks up with wide worried eyes at the queen who seems too calm and collected opposite her. “You’re gonna be fine,” Shea reassures and Sasha smiles at her, albeit strained. How was she so calm? It was just like Shea to be hanging on the same precipice that Sasha was and yet still support her.  
“I mean it,” Shea continues, moving toward Sasha with slow footsteps. “I’ve seen your notes and diagrams, I know you’ve practiced,” Sasha looks away with a muffled chuckle and a blush. “It’s going to go just as you’ve planned,” She came even closer then, so that when she reached out her arms and placed them on Sasha’s waist the shaking queen was painfully aware of her heart fluttering behind her ribcage and her chest heaving.

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, her voice sounding anguished even to her own ears.  
“Because you need the support,”  
“You should be telling me I’m gonna fail,” Sasha replied, finally raising her eyes to her friends. “It’s a competition, Shea,”  
“I know,” The other queen replies, tightening her grip on her trembling friend and pulling her in closer. “But I can see you overthinking things. If you think too hard and have a mental breakdown it’s not going to be a fair competition, is it?” Sasha lets out a little giggle and melts into Shea’s embrace. She froze, however, when the queen leaned down toward her.

“Not now,” She whispered quietly, without conviction. Shea stood with her face inches away from hers, so that their breath mingled in the space between them. “I’ve got to-”  
“-Sasha”  
“- focus on the”  
“- _Sasha,”_

The words ‘lip-synch’ froze on her brightly painted lips as Shea pressed forward and kissed her, her hands gripping her waist tightly as she prized open Sasha’s mouth with her tongue. Sasha let out a small moan as she felt the pressure of unyielding fingertips on her waist, all thoughts of the lip synch disappearing as Shea kissed her hungrily.  
“ _Shea,_ ” She signed wantonly, leaning into the kiss and pressing her body flush against her competitors.

The ending of the song put an abrupt end to their kiss and Sasha and Shea returned to their previous positions, facing the entrance to the stage; Sasha running her game plan and Shea gently rocking back and forth on her heels. Tech’s began to appear all around them, counting down. Sasha wished they wouldn’t, it was making her even more nervous. As the countdown reached single digits Sasha realised Shea was holding out a gloved hand, and she took it slowly, looking up and reaching Shea’s smile with a nervous one of her own. Perhaps it would look real to others, but Shea knew that behind it the queen’s brains were ticking away dangerously. Sasha barely caught the words that left Shea’s lips before she was leading them through the entrance.

“Good luck girl,” Shea said.  
“And don’t fuck it up,” She replied with a knowing smile, blinded by stage lights almost as soon as the words left her lips.

* * *

 

She wasn’t surprised that everything had gone to plan. Not really, for with that level of meticulous planning what could possibly have gone wrong? She had had a few wobbles- when Shea pointed at her or when she (stupidly) cast her eyes out into the audience and caught sight of Papa Velour cheering her on. She had never lip-synched in front of her father before.

No, she wasn’t surprised everything had gone to plan. But she _was_ surprised at Shea. Shea was _better_ than her performance; she had planned nohing- not even a tear-away moment. She hadn’t even painted her lips a brighter colour, which was essential for a lip-synch. She hadn’t actually watched her friend but she didn’t catch her eye at any point whatsoever. Sasha was surprised and (though she would never admit it) a little disappointed.

She can feel Shea’s arms wrapped around hers as her breath returns and she welcomes the familiar embrace, returning the hug as she tries to discern what her friend is saying to her.  
“That was amazing,” Shea says with a smile.  
“I’m so proud of us,” Sasha replies, speaking directly into her ear as the audience roars all around them.  
“Me too,” Shea answers, muttering “I love you,” as she pulls away from the hug.

Sasha stops suddenly, only moving on auto pilot as she attempts to digest Shea’s words. Three words that send her finally-calming heart pounding once more. Anguished by both her current situation and Shea’s words her breath comes as short pants and she’s worried she might faint. She brings her hands up to her head in an attempt to steady herself; she will _not_ do a Max, a Tyra Sanchez. She will hold herself together.

She pulls herself together and, perhaps for the first time ever, it is her who reaches for Shea’s hand and seizes it with a small squeeze, her own way of reciprocating the affection Shea readily gives to her on a regular basis.  
“Ladies,” Rupaul says, staring into the camera, “I have made my decision,”

And suddenly Sasha is irrevocably calm. Her breathing slows and she completely relaxes. There is nothing she can do now- now it’s all out of her hands. She opts to forget Shea’s words as she stares at the floor and thinks over and over and over and over _please please please please please!_

“Sasha Velour, Shante you stay,”

The audience is screaming, Shea is shaking her arm from where they are conjoined and congratulating her but all she can do is heave a sigh of relief. It’s almost like she didn’t even realise she was holding her breath. She worries the exhale might just finish her off- and if Shea wasn’t gripping her hand as tightly as she was perhaps she would collapse into a messy heap right then and there on the stage.

Shea hugs her once again as she feels the tears fall. She’s done it. She’s _motherfucking_ done it! She is speaking to her, echoing her own thoughts.  
“You did it girl!” She’s on her knees and Sasha shakes her hands a sob runs through her. She’s smiling and laughing and crying all at the same time and Shea is laughing at her but Sasha knows her too well; she can see the underlying disappointment and it tears her in two. She thinks she could handle it if Shea had won, it would have been easier to hide her own disappointment than it was to watch her friend hiding hers.

Shea releases her and she reminds herself not to cling on to her friend- her mask slips back on easily and suddenly she is Sasha Velour again; unflappable, intelligent Sasha who knows this is what she’s worked her entire life for and she’s thrilled she has won, regardless of who she has beaten.

She leaves, flashing the audience a cheeky flirtatious smile but her heart isn’t in it; she’s thinking of her next lip-synch; her next outfit. She’s always thinking of what’s coming up next- it’s Shea who reminds her to stop and live in the moment every once in a while.

She stops suddenly, just out of view of the audience.  
“This is not your time,”  
Her heart shatters for her friend that has supported her through all of this. She hasn’t got much time, but for this she’ll make time. She sends all of the Tech’s away with a quiet “We’ll need a moment”

Afterwards when she watches back the finale she’ll see how well Shea swallows the bitter pill of defeat and it will once again bring tears to her eyes as she quietly admits to her father that she loves the Chicago queen.

“Now, Sashay away,”  
She hears the chanting and frankly it’s scary; they didn’t chant for Trinity. What if she’s just sent home the most popular queen? The shoe-in to win. Sasha Velour, the underdog, may be about to be become very unpopular. She takes a step back and tucks herself into a corner.

Shea comes into view suddenly. The queen bows dramatically, smiling and waving to her fans before walking (sidestepping) out of view.

And breaking down. Sasha’s plan to surprise her with hands around her waist and neck kisses- as Shea has done for her so many times before- fly out the window as she watches Shea let out a sob and sprint in the direction of the fire door. Guilt running through her, she follows as fast as her legs can carry her, blinking as she reaches the outdoors and the sun blinds her.

Shea has helped her time and time again and she has just thrown it back in the queens face. She’s running out of time but she can’t think of that right now. She finds Shea and moves behind her, hugging her and apologising over and over. Her small arms encircle the other queen’s waist as she holds her through the sobbing and the tears, her mouth streaming apologies as guilt washes over her.

Shea pulls away and turns to Sasha with anger in her teary eyes. The bald queen pulls back as if burnt, scarred by her friends scary looks. She thought she might be angry by all means, but Shea looks as if she’s about to slap her.  
“Sasha,” She snaps. “Do _not_ apologise!”

Oh

“You’ve earned that, it was totally fair game. You won fair and square, and I ain’t gonna let you feel guilty when you _deserve_ this. Now go and get ready okay girl? You better fucking win,”

Shea offered her a watery smile and pushed her toward the door. Sasha faltered, turning back to her.  
“Shea-“  
“-Go Sahsa, I… I need to be alone,”

Sasha left her, her heart aching for the kindest and most selfless person she had ever met.


	2. Club Kid Untucked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Untucked video for 'Your Pilot's on Fire' Shea and Sasha disappear for a while and this is totally what happens

She feels Shea squeeze her arm way too hard for it mean anything other than ‘follow me’. She rises off the couch, only half paying attention to what Trinity is saying about Alexis staying in the competition because they had a strong pilot. She’s dying to admit that Alexis’ club kid look is possibly the worst outfit to ever come down the runway but there’s no point, not when Shea is marching on ahead as if she _didn’t_ pry the other girl off the comfort of the couch and into the adjoining corridor, where she doesn’t stop.

“Shea, where are you taking us?” Sasha asks, unsure of why she’s whispering. She doesn’t get an answer, however, beyond Shea gripping her wrist and dragging her around the corner then another corner and into a closet she didn’t even realise was there.

“What are you doing?” She hisses as Shea closes the door behind them.  
“I found this place yesterday, pretty tucked away huh?” She twists the lock of the door. “We won’t be disturbed in here,”  
“Shea,”  
“What?” The queen asks, feigning innocence, “I just want you to help me out of the mask.”

Sasha sighs deeply, annoyed at being teased, but before she can move forward to try and remove Shea’s ridiculous head piece the other queen steps in, pressing her up against the closet wall. Sasha’ breath hitches as their bodies press against each other.  
“Shea,” She whispers breathily, hands frozen by the sides of Shea’s head.  
“Go ahead,” The other queen replies quietly.

Of course, with Shea’s body pressed up against hers Sasha struggles with the clasps and straps of the elaborate mask her friend has created, and the longer she takes the more Shea presses up against her until she very nearly gives up. Heaving a sigh of relief she tears the mask away from the other queen’s face and barely has time to catch a breath before Shea catches her lips in an intense kiss.

Shea is perfect; she tastes like candy and coffee and her kisses are heated and passionate. She grinds against Sasha while she’s kissing her, savouring the moans the smaller queen produces.

“We don’t have long,” Shea says, breaking away to kiss Sasha’s neck.   
“But Shea! We really shouldn’t-”  
“-Save it, sister. We both know how this goes but for now can we skip the part where Sasha tries to bring us back to reality?”  
“But we both have boyfriends,”  
“I know,”

Shea bites into her neck as a response, drawing a wrangled cry from Sasha, who’s suddenly thankful she hadn’t bothered to tuck. She’s aware, vaguely, of Shea whispering praises as she licks and bites and sucks her way to the ruff of Sasha’s collar. She hisses with frustration.  
“You couldn’t have worn something more restrictive?” She asks sarcastically, changing tactic and cupping her over the dress.

“I-ah-I didn’t have this is mind when I d-dressed,” Sasha responds quietly, her hands gripping Shea’s biceps as the unmasked queen moved her free hand to lift her skirt. She hums in appreciation at Sasha’s fishnet’s, dragging her nails up them and laughing when Sasha hisses “Don’t tear them!”

Shea falls to her knees in front of Sasha and looks up with a devilish smile, kissing up her thighs, climbing higher and higher toward where Sasha needs her to be. She pauses, her face mere centimetres away from Sasha’s cock, waiting for the other queen to let out a groan of annoyance. Sasha pushes her hips forward.  
“Shea, please,” She hisses wantonly, ignoring Shea’s smug smile as she finally leans in and licks.

“Fuck,” cries Sasha as Shea moves her panties out of the way so she can take Sasha’s cock into her mouth. She feels herself hit the back of Shea’s throat and her hands grip the other queens hair.

“Careful,” Shea says, releasing her “Don’t pull off my wig,”  
“Shut up and finish what you started,” Sasha replies impatiently and the feeling of Shea chuckling with her in her mouth is spectacular.

It’s not long before Sasha feels herself approaching release; between the intense build-up and Shea’s impressive skills pretty soon she finds herself gripping Shea’s shoulder.

“Fuck, Shea, I’m gonna-” Shea responded with an affirmative hum- and then it all became too much. The tension between the two of them, the euphoria from their win; the vibrations from Shea’s hum sent her flying over the edge and her eyes flew closed as she came with a muted cry.

Before she could recollect her thoughts Shea was standing and kissing her- she could taste herself on Shea’s tongue and her eyes flew open.  
“Gotta go,” The queen said enthusiastically.  
“What? Wait but I-”

“No time, Sasha,” Shea announced, brushing down her friend’s skirt and seizing her wrist, moving to the door of the closet. Sasha stopped her, placing her hand over Shea’s on the lock to the door and waiting for Shea to meet her eyes.  
“What about you?”

Shea shrugged passively. She leaned in to whisper in Sasha’s ear.  
“Make it up to me next time,” when she pulled away she winked suggestively and within seconds the door was open and Shea was dragging her back to the others.

Sasha barely had time to wipe the astonished expression off her face before she was surrounded by people who were completely oblivious to what had just happened just a few corridors down


	3. Coffee Catch-Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The queens of Season 9 meet up for coffee and cake, but every queen notices Sasha and Shea have argued

Shea can’t focus.

She and Sasha had fought, and it had been ugly.

_“I’m still gonna see you, right?”  
“Why wouldn’t you? You don’t think you’re too good for me now do you?”_

But you can’t afford enemies in Rupauls Drag Race; it may have been over and the winner may have been announced but the show lives on. For one, in a coffee shop in downtown LA where the queens have met up for lunch, out-of-drag. And, of course, it’s just her luck that she sits on the end and who stumbles in late but Sasha Velour? And where is the last remaining seat? Right next to her.

 _“No I never said that! Besides you’re the one who won’t stop talking about challenges,”_  
_“I mean I did win double the challenges you did,”_  
_“So?”_  
_“And your only wins were joint with me…”_  
_“Well it didn’t help you, did it?_ ”

She manages to avoid eye contact, and while she is sure she can see Sasha looking at her in her peripheral vision she tries not to pay any attention, indulging in a four-way conversation between Trinity, Alexis, herself and Sasha and managing not to say a word to her. Sasha doesn’t attempt to engage her in conversation and Shea wonders if the Brooklyn queen feels as bad as she does about the argument.

In fact, there would have been no problems at all if it wasn’t for Eureka –the bigmouth- who had to bring up their on-screen romance.  
“How is our number one killer couple doing?” She asks loudly from the other side of the table. Shea lets out a laugh that isn’t in the least bit uncomfortable while Sasha sniffs and grins, rolling her eyes. When the laughter dies down and neither one of them replied Alexis inhales through her teeth.  
“Filing for a divorce, apparently,” She murmurs followed by more laughter. To Shea’s intense relief the server arrives at that exact moment and saves them both. She turns and lifts her eyes to Sasha’s for a brief second who looks back and even raises her eyebrows, almost in accusation.

 _“…I didn’t mean that,”  
“Oh _ bitch _!”  
“Shea I didn’t-”  
“Stop it Sasha. Stop making excuses, just admit that you think you’re better than me!”  
“Stop browbeating_ _me, Shea. You’re putting words in my mouth,”_  
_“You are so full of shit Sasha Velour! You’ve always thought you were smarter and better than me and you just admitted it, you can’t just take it back!”_

They continue to ignore each other right up until they start talking about the win.  
“Well deserved, hunty,” Aja says, reaching awkwardly across the table to grasp Sasha’s hand. The others join in and offer their congratulations, and Shea is no exception, squeaking out her words and letting them blend into rabble so that it’s almost lost, but she knows Sasha has heard her. It’s only as the conversation continues and her friend accepts compliments modestly and throws jokes that she realises how much she misses her. She misses the way Sasha whispers snide comments in her ear as the other queens talk, misses her random trivia when Shea least expects it.

Their argument was so pointless and stupid, and both of them had been unnecessarily cruel. Shea knew fully well Sasha wasn’t going to make the first move; the Russian queen was stalwart and always felt she had so much to prove in an argument that she would hold off till the very end, but Shea’s temper was quick to flare and never lasted long. She was already thinking about when and how was best to apologise.

 _“I can’t believe this! I_ apologised _to you for winning and you want to call me bigoted? You’re a fucking hypocrite!”_  
_“Bitch I am not! Don’t turn this on me!”_  
_“It’s always about you! Everything is always about you, Shea, and the one time it isn’t you freak out at me! Well I’m fucking sorry I beat you, okay? But I did and you’ve gotta get over it. And I don’t wanna fucking talk to you until you do because frankly dear, you’re being a bitch,”_

She uses her usual signal; squeezing Sasha’s arm slightly to hard and for slightly too long for it to mean anything other than ‘follow me’. She goes outside to the designated smoking area around the back of the building, and she’s not even sure if Sasha will follow, but she does.  
“What is it, Shea?” She asks curtly, her face moulded into a scowl.

“I’m sorry,” Shea says suddenly, and Sasha’s scowl wobbles. “I snapped at you and it wasn’t your fault; I was being a total bitch and I guess I was just bitter about losing but I took it out on you and I shouldn’t have. You were right I was being a hypocrite and a bitch and worse, okay? I’m real sorry Sasha, you didn’t deserve it,”

For a moment Sasha doesn’t respond- she doesn’t even move- and Shea wonders if she’s gonna tell her to fuck off or hit her or something. But instead she uncrosses her arms slowly.  
“No I was being a bitch too. I said some pretty nasty things Shea and I really didn’t mean them it was just in the heat of the moment…”  
“Yeah I got you,”  
“I’m sorry for rubbing it in; yeah I did, Shea, and it was a total dick move, and I’ll forgive you if you can forgive me, okay?”  
“Girl, it’s a deal!”

Sasha pulled her in for a hug and Shea pulled her in for a kiss which turned into a pretty heated makeout session up against the café walls until Shea reminded her they had ordered food which would probably go cold.  
“Fuck it, let’s let it go cold. I’m hungry for something else,”  
“You dirty little thing,” Shea chuckled, “But no I ordered fudge cake and as nice as getting oral by the bins would be I’m pretty sure chocolate fudge would be better right now,”  
“I guess that’s true,” Sasha conceded, peppering small kisses along her jawline. “Chocolate fudge is pretty spectacular. Plus I ordered cheesecake and I totally forgot what flavour so I guess I’m in for a surprise!”

“You want some fudge cake?” Shea asked, picking herself up off the wall and making her way toward the door.  
“Uhh, duh? Is the Earth round? Is Nina paranoid?” Sasha opened the door for the other queen. “Besides I’ll let you have some Vanilla ice cream,”  
“Now, or later?” Shea whispered, making Sasha grin.  
“Both,” She replied, “Is now the time for a dark chocolate joke?”  
“Too late,” Shea said as they returned to the table.

They were, of course, completely oblivious to the other queens laughing behind their hands at the couple who always made up within a day of falling out.


	4. Naughty Nighties (The First Kiss)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shea realises she can make Sasha blush by saying just about anything

“Naughty nighties?” Alexis exclaimed. “I guess Trinity’s going naked then,”  
“Don’t tempt me bitch,” The other queen called from across the room.

“Whatcha gonna wear?” Shea asked Sasha, flicking through the clothes strewn all around her; hanging on the rail and bundled into her case and on the floor. Sasha shook her head as she took in her friends mess, turning to evaluate her own, neatly organised clothes rail.  
“Something with nipple tassels,” She decided loudly, grinning as Shea burst out laughing behind her.  
“You kinky little bitch,” Shea said with a chuckling, holding up two different sets of lingerie.  
“Which one?” She asked Sasha, and when the bald queen turned she swallowed and tried to ignore the fact that imagining Shea in lingerie was making her heart beat faster.  
“Black and gold,” She suggested, “Cause you’re black and gold, bitch,”

With a chuckle Shea agreed and started talking about wigs.   
“I’ll probably just do it-”  
“No way Miss thing!” Shea interrupted, “You can’t wear nipple tassels _and_ be bald,”  
“Sure I can,”  
“Well you _can_ but come on Sash, they’ve seen you bald,” She marched past the smaller queen and seized a large, fluffy blonde wig, “Now they want to see something different. They want to see sweet, blonde, nipple-tassel Sasha Velour,”  
“You just can’t get over those tassels, can you?” Sasha said. Shea wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Sasha felt a distinctive blush run over her cheeks as she snatched the wig from her friends hand and carried it away.

How the hell had choking on a stalk of broccoli been so sexy? How had Sasha made tossing salad a sexual act and how the hell was Shea’s chocolate-lesbian character so attractive? Questions that were running through the queens head as she cut and sewed her fabric, trying to distract herself with headphones or daydreams of art but failing miserably. How could she tear her mind away to art when the most beautiful piece of art was standing in front of her, trimming a blonde curly wig and talking about the pros and cons of cellophane.

“I mean sure it’s effective,” She was saying, “But there are so many other ways of sticking shit together that are more durable and last longer and, frankly, are easier to handle,”  
“Oh absolutely,” Sasha said, “I’m it’s good for gift wrap I guess like you couldn’t glue your parcels,”  
“You fucking could,” Shea argues. In the back of her head, Sasha makes a note that no matter how much of a deep thinker she thought she was, she had never once analysed cellophane in as much detail as Shea.

For the most part they trade jokes and throw shade at the other queens quietly to themselves that Shea makes her promise she won’t repeat.  
“Plus I’m using all of these for the reading challenge so no stealing and act surprised when I say ‘Fifty Shades of Ashy’, alright?”  
“Bitch I’m gonna read you to filth,” Sasha promised with a giggle.  
“I sure hope you do get filthy with me,” Shea replied, winking and rushing off to the other side of the room where she kept her sewing equipment.

Sasha felt her heart skip a beat at the implications of Shea’s words; was the other queen joking? Was it all just a farce, or was she aware of the effect she had on Sasha. Was she teasing her on purpose; making innuendo’s and comments that forced a blush on Sasha’s usually pale cheeks so prominent that everyone noticed. Was this all a joke to Shea? Because Sasha couldn’t help herself, but she was beginning to take it all very seriously.

They had been given their thirty minute warning and Sasha was dressing, her face fully made up and her outfit draped across her mannequin, wig and all. She and Shea did each other’s corsets, Shea placing a foot against the table to cinch Sasha to within an inch of her life.   
“How does it look?” Sasha called over her shoulder.  
“You are one sexy bitch,” Shea replied, chuckling as Sasha blushed a deep crimson and turned away to seal the nipple tassels. Shea, who was securing her wig to her head with bobby pins, watched her curiously.   
“How do you get those on?” She asked, “Surely they don’t actually clip to your nipples?”

“You wish,” Sasha joked smoothly, surprising herself, “No these ones have sticky backs, which is good because I would hot glue gun these little cunts to my nipples if I had to,” Shea tutted.  
“Your poor, abused nipples,” Sasha tried to force down the blush that imposed its way onto her face.

She chuckled through her embarrassment, seizing her wig and holding the front in place as Shea pulled the back over her head.  
“Perfect,” She said as Sasha moved it around to make it more comfortable. “Well fuck me, Sasha, you almost look normal for once!”  
“Oh dear,” Sasha joshed, trying to supress the grin spreading across her face. “We’ll just have to do something to amend that,”

She turned and Shea watched her as she disappeared behind a railing, returning with a giant, obnoxious candelabrum with fake red candles and such bright colours it didn’t at all match her white and beige lingerie, and with a grin she marched past Shea, who was shaking her head before she hurried after her.

Tech’s surrounded them as they made the walk from the studio to the main stage. Sasha didn’t know why they had to be escorted everywhere; it had taken her two days to learn her way around and her new favourite thing to do was to sneak off and annoy the crew as she kept disappearing, resurfacing moments later with no explanation. Most of the time, she told them, she just wanted to be alone. Introverted to the core, spending so much time in a small space filled with loud personalities was almost too overwhelming for Sasha. She’d known even before filming had started that she would be pining for some alone time.

Except she wasn’t, because by the second challenge she could hardly spend two seconds wrapped up in her own thoughts before she was pulled out by Shea, doing a ridiculous animal impression or asking her the most pointless questions. Every time she found a second to sneak off she would cross her fingers that Shea would find her, and sure enough she would hear a voice hiss ‘ _Girl, hold up’_ and her and Shea would spend the next half an hour playing hide and seek with the crew.

Shea also took smoke breaks regularly and Sasha found herself joining just for conversation. Shea would lean up against the wall and Sasha would sit opposite her on the railing, usually swinging her legs and they would fire questions back and forth at each other.  


_Shea: Should the next Doctor Who be female?_

_Sasha: Absolutely; if he can regenerate into anything- any kind of look- why shouldn’t he be female? Fuck it, he should be fucking non-binary. Also it’s not ‘Doctor Who’ by the way it’s just ‘The Doctor’_

_Shea: Shut up, nerd_

_Sasha: If you could visit only one other country for the rest of your life where would it be?_

_Shea: Paris_

_Sasha: Country?_

_Shea: Alright, France then. I just want to go to Paris. I could live in Paris, it’s so fucking classy. Plus the wine is great, mama y’all haven’t lived if you’ve never drank wine straight from the bottle in ole Pari. Plus the night life is pretty bomb_

_Shea: Cats or dogs?_

_Sasha: Dogs_

_Sasha: Why do people find china dolls creepy?_

_Shea: I think it’s the glass eye effect, it looks they’re staring at constantly_

_Shea: Geographically, where is heaven?_

_Sasha: I guess it’s in either an alternate reality, or it exists as a place for one’s spirit and psyche therefore it’s material, and doesn’t technically exist_

_Sasha: What’s your biggest fear?_

_Shea: Not being accepted_

_Shea: Favourite colour?_

_Sasha: Purple_

_Sasha: Does pineapple belong on pizza?_

_Shea: Always_

They could both chat for hours at a time, and Sasha was surprised to find that Shea was just as good at listening as she was at talking (and flirting) _._ Shea’s favourite conversation was usually either judging the other queens, or talking about their blossoming friendship. Sasha kept talking about how crazy it was that she actually had chemistry with someone she had been chosen to work with by chance and Shea kept saying how she couldn’t believe she had made friends with ‘The pretty, artsy one’.

A tech seized Sasha by the arm as the queen made to escape, marching by her side for the remainder of the journey until it was too late to go anywhere and they were lining up, ready to hit the runway. Sasha pulled out a mirror to touch up her lipstick, thinking about all of the poses she had thought of last night in her hotel room and running through her runway, and she didn’t realise she was making faces until she looked up and caught sight of Trinity laughing at her.

“Don’t pay her any attention,” Shea whispered over the sound of the music, and Sasha wondered how she could be so calm when Valentina was already on the runway and Shea was next. Sasha’s attention moved to the crew as the muttered to each other and spoke through microphones and listened to ear pieces. They cued Shea as Valentina’s robe came into view, and she offered Sasha a confident wink before moving toward the entrance to the stage, waiting by the side as Valentina offered the judges one last pose before waltzing confidently offset.

Shea placed a heeled foot onto the first step before thinking better of it, and Sasha’s heart froze in panic and she looked around, trying to see if anyone else had noticed the fact that Shea wasn’t going on stage yet. The Tech’s weren’t looking, Trinity was facing the other way, the other queens were behind them lost somewhere in a sea of darkness and blinding stage lights and when Sasha turned back to see whether or not Shea had finally walked onto the stage she squealed as Shea’s lips hit hers.

They were kissing. Right there, in front of everyone. With dozens of crew members and all the other queens standing by waiting to go on stage, with _Rupaul waiting for her_ Shea had stopped to kiss her. And even as her brain screamed for her to return to reality- she had a boyfriend, anyone could see them at any second, Shea was supposed to be on stage- she found her eyes slipping closed and she released a moan that was lost in the music as Shea pulled her in, releasing her just as suddenly as she had seized her.

Without another word Shea pulled her large feather boa in front of her and winked at Sasha before waltzing onto the stage, leaving Sasha frozen and dazzled, breathing heavily as she attempted to pull her thoughts together. She looked around in fear but it was evident that nobody had witnessed their kiss.

She couldn’t stop the thudding of her heart and she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, even when she had to reapply her lipstick.

 


End file.
